High School Summer Travel Programs

I was hesitant to send my 16-year-old son, Matteo, halfway across the world for a month, but the GAC team was incredibly reassuring from the very first phone call. Any parent knows the anxiety of not being able to just drive over if something goes wrong, but their 24/7 local support genuinely put my mind at ease. Matteo was placed with a host family in Beijing who treated him like their own grandson. He called me every few days completely buzzing—not just about the Great Wall or the Forbidden City, but about the local street food and playing video games with his host brother to practice his Chinese. The morning classes must have been good because he actually came home being able to hold basic conversations, which is way more than he ever learned in his high school language classes here. It was a huge step for his independence, and he came back noticeably more confident and mature. If you are a nervous parent reading this, I can't recommend this program enough.

this was a really fun trip and opens my eyes to new adventures and i believe that if you are i need of a trip of a lifetime and to find new friends and people of similar intrest that you should consider the broad reach trips because they bring life. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT. I LOVED IT

This program made 2026 the best summer of my life. London is my favorite city and this program couldn’t have been more perfect. A perfect mixture of education (classes were so much fun, and I also loved our workshops too where we learned about British culture) and free time to explore the city. We also did so much fun things as a group in the city, but you get a lot of free time with your friends. I learned so much in the creative writing classes and all the lessons were fun rather than boring. I really felt like I got to see London inside and out and get a real Londoner experience rather than as a tourist. I also loved our trips to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon as well. I made so many friends and many great memories. The staff are also very caring and awesome. Overall, everything about it was perfect and I miss it everyday. Thank you CIEE for this trip of a lifetime!

My son participated in this progam in 2026 and had an amazing experience in France. He lived with a volunteer host family and i think that makes the difference. More and more families are paid but with Oui-COnnect they find only volunteers that open their hearts and homes . They Actually care!

My great time spent in Barcelona started from being picked from an airport and transported to accommodation, to accommodation i have only one con and thatt was a little complicated communication with staff, the school looked really good from outside and inside so it was nice being there, with the school i had a little problem and it was that i had a feeling i learnt almost nothing and from the trip i think i have improved more in emglish than spanish, but maybe that might be my fault too. After all i really enjoyed and made some friends and it was totally worth it.

Expanish responded to this reviewSeptember 09, 2026

¡Hola, Marie! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us and for your 5-star rating! We’re very happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay in Barcelona, liked our school, and, most importantly, made some great memories and new friends along the way. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and feedback with us. Your comments help us continue improving and providing the best possible experience for our students. We’re glad to hear that, overall, you enjoyed the experience and felt that it was worthwhile. We hope to see you again at Expanish in the future! ¡Un abrazo!

I had a very excellent time on my Arcos Journeys Abroad program, in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and on the Camino de Santiago. The host families were incredible, as were all the chaperones and teachers. The activities were always very fun, and there was a nice balance of structured time and free time. The Camino was also amazing, and I was unexpectedly delighted by that aspect of the trip. Thank you!!

I spent two weeks of July in Barcelona with Expanish School and it was one of the best experiences of my life. In two weeks I learned a lot thanks to the teachers and the trips we did during the week and in the weekends. I got to know some amazing people that became my friends and with them I shared this magnificent experience. My host family was so lovely, they immediately made me feel comfortable and at home. Now that my experience has finished I find myself thinking about the days spent in Barcelona with Expanish. I already recommended the school to my friends because I think it is really really valid.

Expanish responded to this reviewAugust 23, 2026

¡Hola, Sofia! What a beautiful review to read — thank you! :) We're so happy your two weeks in Barcelona turned into one of the best experiences of your life! It's wonderful that you learned so much thanks to our teachers and all the trips along the way, and even better that you made friends who shared it all with you. Hearing that your host family made you feel so at home too just makes this even more special. Thank you for already recommending us to your friends — that truly means so much to us. We hope to welcome you back to Expanish soon! ¡Un fuerte abrazo!

My host family was amazing, the teacher was very nice and helpful and I could learn a lot. The activities were fun and were helping me learn more about the place and the culture. Unfortunately not many people my age were attending them but they were still very fun

Expanish responded to this reviewAugust 23, 2026

¡Hola, Teodor! Thank you for sharing this with us! :) We're so glad the program let you dive into the city, culture, and language all at once — and it's wonderful to hear your host family and teacher made such a positive impact on your experience. We're happy the activities added to that too, and we hear you on wanting more people your age around — we'll keep working on bringing in a wider crowd! Thanks again for choosing Expanish — hope to see you again soon! ¡Un fuerte abrazo!

This GLA program was such a life changing experience for me. During the trip I not only learned about different cultures, but I meet so many awesome new people. The other students I meet on this trip, I still talk to often. This trip allowed me to take into consideration what future careers I may be interested in. The staff were amazing and made the experience so much better. I would recommend this trip to everyone.

My daughter returned absolutely glowing. She went to the DR, she wanted to stay there longer! She loved her mentors, loved everyone there, and made new friends. She said it was the best thing she has ever done!! And as a parent, the support was exceptional. This trip was my daughter’s first. Knowing how supported she was while there and how I was at home - I will not be nervous to send her or another one of my kids.

My experience with world class programs can never be replicated. The program is so good that my only complaint is the heat outside, which isn’t even really a problem because the staff even think of that giving everyone fans. From the begging to the end I learned about Italian history and cuisine in an extremely interesting and enjoyable way. Everyone was kind and fun to be around, everywhere we went was presented in an incredible way and everything down to the food and rooms was extremely good

Italy was such a great trip. I got such a well rounded trip. I learned a lot of cool stuff some stuff I liked to learn about some I didn't care for as much but yet I am still glad I got to learn it all. I also got plenty of time to do my own thing explore shop hangout relax. I also got to see so many cool places, 8 different Cities. My favorite part of the trip is that the instructors are more like friends than teachers. This is my second trip with this program and I love the instructors. They Genuinely make the trip as good as it is. They are the perfect amount of strict for safety and learning but also laid back for fun and stress free. I love these trips so much. Highly recommend.

It was a very fun program where they taught us a lot about Itlay and I also enjoyed it so much that I did it twice. They gave us 3 to 4 hours of free time almost everyday was definitely one of the biggest highlight of the trip.They gave us enough time to do what we wanted. The staff was always supportive and you weren't forced into doing all of the activities if we didn't feel well or didn't want to. They tried to make the trip the most enjoyable as possible and we're very flexible with what we wanted to do. We also weren't in just one city we went all over the Italy visiting at least 9 cities.

Everything about the trip was perfect. Getting to work with the kids in a school and build connections despite language barriers was such an amazing experience. The adventure aspects such as surfing and white water rafting are also SO FUN!

My study abroad experience with World Class Programs was absolutely incredible! From start to finish, the staff was truly exceptional – so supportive, knowledgeable, and genuinely made the trip unforgettable. I honestly wish I could have stayed longer! I learned an immense amount, particularly in subjects like color theory and various painting periods, which has been invaluable. This program provided such a rich and immersive learning environment. Highly recommend!

My CIEE high school summer abroad changed my life. At 16 years old, I traveled to Sevilla, Spain with CIEE. I realized there that I wanted to pursue a career as a Spanish teacher, and now I am working at a public school in New York doing just that!! Since my amazing experience with CIEE as a student, I’ve also returned to the non-profit to work as a Program Leader supporting other students as they embark on this engaging, unique, and life changing experience. I can’t recommend CIEE enough!!

I did LITA's Northern Spain program in the summer of 2022 at 15 years old, and it remains the single best experience of my life. What sets LITA apart from every other program is how deeply personal it is. From day one, our leaders and Jordan knew exactly who I was, my interests, my personality, my goals. The level of individualized attention in a group of students is something you simply don't find somewhere else. My host family experience was incredible and genuinely changed how I see the world. We traveled across all of Northern Spain — Galicia, Valladolid, the Pyrenees, and Barcelona each stop carefully chosen to deepen our understanding of Spanish culture rather than just check tourist boxes. The whole program operates with a family mindset; you don't just visit Spain, you become part of it. If you're a high schooler serious about Spanish and craving an authentic, life-changing adventure, LITA is unlike anything else out there.

LITA was one of the most transformative experiences of my life. What made the program so special to me was that it wasn’t just about learning Spanish in a classroom—it was about truly living the language and culture every single day. From staying with host families to exploring small, rural towns I felt completely immersed in authentic Spanish life. At first, the “Spanish only” environment felt intimidating, but it ended up being the reason I grew so much. I became more confident speaking Spanish than I thought possible, not because I was memorizing vocabulary, but because I was constantly connecting with real people and navigating everyday life in another language. By the end of the program, Spanish started to feel natural to me. What I loved most about LITA was the sense of community. The group leaders care about every student and create such a supportive, welcoming environment. I made incredible friendships with people from all over the country, and the shared experience of stepping outside our comfort zones brought everyone really close together. I also became so close with my host family, who made me feel at home from the very beginning. I can not recommend this program enough to anyone who is hoping to expand their Spanish language skills.

I'm 17 and was nervous about spending 4 weeks in China without my parents. But honestly, it was incredible. My homestay family was so welcoming – my host mum packed me lunch every day. Mandarin classes were actually fun, not boring. We learned phrases we could use right away. Weekends we visited the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. I made friends from France, Germany, and Brazil. Came home speaking basic Mandarin and feeling way more confident. Already saving up to go back for a gap year. Highly recommend.

Daughter has been to Dominican Republic and Bali and currently gearing up for RSA in July. Just spoken with GLA on easily booked phone call. As always utterly superb. If you're wondering about putting your child in their care don't panic. Pre Adventure organisation brilliant.. Adventure life changing for kids and parents kept fully informed. Could not recommend more highly